Family y BUILDING
IN JUNE PRIDE LIFE INTERVIEWED CRAIG AND MASSIMO, THE PROUD AND LOVING PARENTS OF MARCO. THIS SEPTEMBER THEY COMPLETED BUILDING THEIR FAMILY THROUGH EGG DONOR SURROGACY IN THE USA AND WELCOMED THE BIRTH OF THEIR SECOND SON, NICOLÒ
Having finished two different egg donor surrogacy journeys in the USA, Craig and Massimo have experienced many of the possible options and variations that intended parents are faced with deciding between when planning an egg donor surrogacy journey.
Pride Life asked Craig and Massimo to share their views and some of the different choices they made in the course of their two journeys. Why did you choose the USA? There are only a handful of countries in the world where egg donor surrogacy for same-sex couples is possible. Among this small number of places, the USA is the largest and most developed. It’s long and well established in the USA and all the necessary professional and medical infrastructure is in place to do it safely. It is admittedly the most expensive location for intended parents, but this is counterbalanced with the safety and security of building your family while being surrounded by the best and most extensive resources available anywhere in the world for egg donor surrogacy. In the USA are there benefits to a journey on the East vs the West Coast? Our two journeys have taken us to both US coasts. Coming from London, we initially thought that the East Coast would be logistically easier. Looking back, we experienced that, once we made the decision to cross the pond, both were logistically equal and in some ways the West Coast had benefits. A few extra hours on a plane or time change didn’t make a difference.
What was more important was to work with providers – IVF clinic, agencies, lawyers – that we trusted and that delivered, and to have matched well with an egg donor and surrogate. Working with a surrogate that lives in a US state which meets your needs from a legal and medical insurance perspective is also critical (intended parents need to know that the USA has 50 states and rules on surrogacy, parental rights, termination of a pregnancy – if that were to be necessary – and medical insurance are determined on a state-bystate level). The ability to localise the process with an egg donor and/ or surrogate in relative proximity to your IVF clinic can also help intended parents streamline their journey and manage costs. Did you consider both known and anonymous egg donors? Unlike some countries, both known and anonymous egg donations are possible in the USA. Intended parents using egg donor